Stacey Eno

Subject Topic: Sheep

Middle of the Mitten Learning Center
10 Students; ranging 4-5 years old.
Objective:
After reading The Sheep Follow by Monica Wellington, students will apply the new
topic of sheep to a class art project. Students will use small motor skills in personalizing
their own sheep using cotton balls. As a class students will collaborate their pieces of art
for a grand display as a class herd of sheep.
Standards
MDE ELE: LANGUAGE AND EARLY LITERACY DEVELOPMENT
6. Early Learning Expectation: Positive Attitudes about Literacy.
Children develop positive attitudes about themselves as literate
beings as readers, writers, speakers, viewers, and listeners.
MDE ELE: Respect for Self and Others Mental
and Behavioral Health.
7. Children exhibit a growing regard for
ones mind and capacity to learn; demonstrate the capacity of
consideration for others; show a growing capacity to self-regulate
and demonstrate self-efficacy.
MDE ELE: CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT
1. Early Learning Expectation: Visual Arts. Children show how
they feel, what they think, and what they are learning through
experiences in the visual arts.
5. Early Learning Expectation: Aesthetic Appreciation. Children
develop rich and rewarding aesthetic lives.
MDE ELE:Social, Emotional and Physical Health and Development
6. Early Learning Expectation: Fine Motor Development. Children
experience growth in fine motor development and use small
muscles to improve a variety of fine motor skills both in structured
and unstructured settings.
Materials:
- The book, The Sheep Follow by Monica Wellington
- Cotton Balls
- Glue

- Sheep Worksheets

Instruction
Anticipatory Set:
Ask students to reflect on toys around the room. What animals are out that are on a
farm? Ask what animals they can think of. Call on quiet hands for contributions about
farm animals. Relate to prior units by asking if farm animals can be seen in the same
places as butterflies or if there are ponds at a farm.
Procedure:
A. Students will start out standing on a piece of tape placed on the floor. I will call
students to sit at a certain color on a square on the morning meeting rug. Students
standing like quiet kindergarteners will be asked to pick a spot to sit first.
B. Students will sit on their spot; legs criss crossed and hands in their lap. They are to
be reminded that quiet hands raised are to be called on.
C. The class will go through the calendar and weather watcher job just like the typical
daily schedule.
D. Students will then listen to, The Sheep Follow by Monica Wellington, quietly and
raise hands at the end of the story. Discussion questions may arise throughout the book
for students to contribute to.
E. Discussion
-Questions/ Sharing
- Explanation of activity
- A. Once getting to the table, takes one cotton ball at a time, dip it in glue, and
place it on their sheep
- B. Turn in their sheep to a teacher
- C. Work on additional farm coloring/worksheets
F. Transition to work tables grabbing work baskets while being sheep. Students may
begin when every chair at the table is full.
H. While with the students are working encourage discussion of farms and all of the
animals on them. Ask open ended questions about what they think is on farms, and
what experiences they have had on them if they ever have been on when,
J. The students will turn in the sheep to the teacher to be put aside to dry.
K. Worksheets and coloring sheets will be available to each individual upon finish.
Accommodations/Extensions:
Students who finish early may continue on to the worksheets provided. They may color,
or cut and paste depending on what sheet.
For those who do not want to touch the cotton balls, they are welcome to just color their
sheep instead.

During transitions, students may choose to walk instead of fly with their arms. During
meeting time, if students are antsy, they may be instructed stand up individually or as a
class to show their best imitation of a sheep..
Closing:
Allow students to share their sheep with others at their table. This can be a neighbor or
another teacher. If choosing a teacher, it is important for the teacher to elaborate on
their sheep and other knowledge with sheep.
Transition:
Students will transition from the morning meeting rug to work tables by pretending to be
sheep.
Assessment:
The informal assessment of discussion during meeting time, and during the creating of
their own sheep.
The formal assessment of the creating of their own sheep. These will be collected,
observed, hung on display, and given to parents at end of the year conferencing.
**Notes may be taken during any discussion for further formal assessment.